Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Democracy

Hux and I took the girls and my Dad to the Gubernatorial debate downtown last night. John Hickenlooper, Don Maes, and Tom Tancrado. My proudest moment was when eldest pointed to the stage and said "which one is crazy as a loon?" The answer, of course, being Tom Tancrado.

Our kids were only two kids in the audience, it turned out. And they behaved very well, though youngest and I went out to the lobby a couple times to get her wiggles out, and watched much of the debate from the back of the room. It turned out to be a good vantage point: TV cameras, reporters, lotsa folks typing on laptops, lotsa aides running around.

Tancredo got my vote as the guy I'd most want to have a beer with, though I disagreed with virtually everything that came out of his mouth. It's odd to say something like "there is no money in green energy" in a small, job-hungry town where a wind turbine plant is creating employment for hundreds of people. My pick - Hickenloooper - did not do particularly well. He's not well spoken. But he'll make a good governor, I think. Made an excellent mayor of Denver. Socially liberal, fiscally conservative. My kinda guy.

Democracy is being driven close to the breaking point by an over-reliance on television ads, as opposed to actual public discourse, and the ensuing huge sums of money those TV ads entail. It's become a game for billionaires. So it was refreshing to see a full auditorium where people applauded and booed and shouted questions at three flesh and blood human beings who were asking for our vote. And after it was over, we all walked out into the cool autumn evening, toward our cars and bikes, towards home, where the debate likely continued, in kitchens and bedrooms and bars. No celebrities telling us how to vote. No attack ads with foreboding music and lurid claims. Just real people, discussing real issues. Democracy.

9 comments:

ArtSparker said...

That will be an interesting memory for them in later life.

Hilary said...

Almost like walking into the past, in a way.

Your daughter's comment cracked me up.

Sueann said...

Hooray for the democratic process!!
Hugs
SueAnn

femminismo said...

I love this! I could picture myself there with you and your family, listening to the nutty commentary and rooting for the liberal conservative. Thank you for taking the children! And thanks for your comments when you visit. I love that! I hope Hickenlooper wins!!!

Laurita said...

Good for you for bringing your daughters. I was involved in politics from a very early age, and it sparks a sense of social responsibility, I think.

In my experience, a good speaker does not always make a good representative. Beware the silver tongued devil.

Gwil W said...

"There's no money in green energy" is such an inane and silly remark that I can only wonder about the intelligence and the motives of the one who made it. Does "green energy" need fiscal returns, dividends, banker sized bonuses, or is it enough that we do our duty and keep the planet in good shape for future generations?

Fresca said...

Tancrado and Hickenlooper!
If I were editing a piece of fiction with 2 such-named politicians, I'd suggest to the author that it was a bit over the top.
But real life IS over the top.

When I was 7, my parents took me to see Eugene McCarthy speak in his 1968 presidential run.

Got me in some sorta habit I guess:
this past week I went to see Walter Mondale speak
(remember the Westiminster Town Hall Forums? http://westminsterforum.org/), and this--the importance of real people discussing real issues, civilly--was a central theme of his.

In the Q&A, a high school student asked what young people can do to help the world.
Mondale said it'd be great if they'd get involved politically, but, he said with some feeling, politics isn't the only way:
"Any honorable work you do helps everybody."

Kinda choked me up--a politician who could use the word "honorable" believable, as if it were an everyday word, not some meaningless campaign jargon.

dilaugh said...

hey, I remember going to a parade with my grandma in pueblo, AKA democrat land. The parade featured the real life JFK. My other memory is when I took the little huks with me to cast my vote. They thought we were going boating!

Wanderlust Scarlett said...

YAAAAAAAAY Hickenlooper!!! ...or as one of my favorite morning dj's used to call him; JLoop. *chuckle*

He's definitely getting my vote. The other two... don't get me started. I'll be so glad when the election is over. :/ Politics irritate me.
But I love Hickenlooper!!

In other news; not sure if you remember or if you, Hux and the girls are free this weekend, but this weekend is Milehicon at the Hyatt in DTC - the Harry Potter live school event that lasts the weekend. You *REALLY* should go; it's going to be the best semester that Avistrum has ever had -hands down-.
Here's the link:
www.avistrum.org

Hope you get to go, truly an incredible experience, and if you like Harry Potter, you will develop an addiction to this; getting to go to the school for real.

Scarlett & Viaggiatore